Your Biggest Buck

Montana

Veteran member
Nov 3, 2011
1,097
385
Bitterroot Valley, MT.
Here are a few of mine hard to pick just 1.. my favorite buck I got w a longbow at about 12 yards. It took me 3 years lol.

First here the line up prior to 2015 bucks.. 32.5” and 33 1/4 wide n the first 2 on the left for perspective..


View attachment 32242

Also had to throw in my 2016, 2019, and last is the typical I got this year. Man I have been fortunate!!

2016

View attachment 32244

View attachment 32245

2019 = the overall winner in size. 32.5” outside to that kicker.

View attachment 32246

View attachment 32247

2020

View attachment 32248
Super impressive!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: ColoradoV

nv-hunter

Veteran member
Feb 28, 2011
1,572
1,294
Reno
Great bucks all

Montana what did those score?

I keep getting told I have the tag to have for Nevada this year and just trying to be able to judge them . I want a big deer so I can post on here
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Staff member
Feb 3, 2014
7,713
2,597
www.eastmans.com
Great bucks all

Montana what did those score?

I keep getting told I have the tag to have for Nevada this year and just trying to be able to judge them . I want a big deer so I can post on here
Have you read Mike’s books on field judging them? Really makes it simple, the hardest bucks to judge have no outstanding features.
 

nv-hunter

Veteran member
Feb 28, 2011
1,572
1,294
Reno
Have you read Mike’s books on field judging them? Really makes it simple, the hardest bucks to judge have no outstanding features.

Yes been reading them its just nice to practice on pics and bucks when its a known score to see if I got close. ( I think a pic thread with a way to hide the score till your ready to see it would be a lot of fun.)
 

Hilltop

Veteran member
Feb 25, 2014
3,798
2,170
Eastern Nebraska
Yes been reading them its just nice to practice on pics and bucks when its a known score to see if I got close. ( I think a pic thread with a way to hide the score till your ready to see it would be a lot of fun.)
I have an official score on the non typical at the start of the thread if you want to practice.
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Staff member
Feb 3, 2014
7,713
2,597
www.eastmans.com
Here are a few simple box framing type of judging things that help to judge quick if a buck is actually big, then pick apart. I can do this pretty quickly and then I get into the rack bracketing that Mike uses to really break the bucks down.

Big deer look big, look for the big buck head bob, the giants almost look cartoonish when they walk.

If the fronts are as tall as the backs, pay attention! Generally speaking, that is a mature deer with good fronts, look at all the bucks in this thread for reference.

Frame is everything, fronts as tall as the backs and wider than the ears generally is a buck to pay attention to.

An easy way to judge mass is measure the bases against the base of the ears. Then measure it all relative to that.

Mass hides inches and from there it is just a matter of adding up the points and main beam length.
 

mcseal2

Veteran member
Mar 1, 2011
1,172
195
midwest
Some of the toughest bucks of any species to score have no exceptional features, but are not weak anywhere. I shot a 9 point whitetail last year that fit this description. He had decent width, mass, and length of beam and points but wasn’t exceptional anywhere. Nothing stood out to judge the rest from. I guessed him around 150” and he ended up being 162”. He had an awesome 8pt frame plus a 3” 9th point. I remember Mike Eastman talking about muleys like that in his book. Easy deer to overlook.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScottR

marcusvdk

Veteran member
Dec 13, 2011
5,381
1,653
Michigan
Well after much teasing here is a trophy shot, this buck was without a doubt the biggest bodied deer I have ever laid hands on. My 2013 buck was big, this one made him look average...

WOW great deer Scott. Doing a shoulder mount or full body mount ;)